About MindGarden Learning
Gentle Learning for Growing Hearts & Minds
A non-faith based Charlotte Mason enrichment community in Hixson, TN
Our Story 🌱
MindGarden Learning grew from a deep desire to offer something different—a place where childhood is honored, relationships are at the center, and learning unfolds with wonder and trust.
As homeschooling parents ourselves, we longed for a secular, attachment-aware community—one that would blend the richness of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy with what we now understand from neuroscience, developmental psychology, and the power of play.
So we created MindGarden Learning: a two-day drop-off enrichment program that invites children ages 6–9 into a gentle rhythm of living books, art, music, movement, and meaningful work. Hosted inside the imaginative world of Jungle Fun Center, our space is filled with light, story, connection, and room to grow—together.
Mission & Vision 🌟
Mission
To nurture the whole child through a rich and reverent educational experience rooted in connection, curiosity, and developmental wisdom. We prioritize emotional safety, relationship, and wonder as the fertile ground for lifelong learning and growth.
Vision
When we root Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy in the developmental soil of Gordon Neufeld’s theory, something beautiful takes shape: an approach that honors both the sacredness and the slowness of childhood. At MindGarden, we stop trying to rush children to maturity and instead create the conditions for it to unfold.
- Mason gives us reverence for the personhood of the child.
- Neufeld gives us the map of how that person grows.
Together, they guide us in building learning environments that are rich in meaning, secure in attachment, and alive with emotion, wonder, and growth.
Our Educational Philosophy 🔍
1. Charlotte Mason “Feast of Ideas”
2. Attachment-Based Development
At MindGarden Learning, we don’t follow behavior strategies or scripts—we follow children.
Rooted in the insight-based theory of Dr. Gordon Neufeld, we view each child through the lens of development, attachment, and nervous system awareness. As Neufeld teaches, “What we see determines what we do.” When we understand what is beneath a child’s behavior, we can respond not with control, but with compassion.
Our educators lead with warmth, confidence, and care—offering co-regulation not by teaching emotional skills, but by being a regulated presence. We meet needs, not misbehavior. We support growth by creating safety. And we prioritize connection as the essential foundation for learning, resilience, and becoming.
3. Polyvagal-Informed & Play-Based by Design
Children don’t just need to be safe—they need to feel safe. Drawing on polyvagal theory, we recognize that when children feel connected, calm, and supported, their nervous systems shift into a state of regulation where learning and relationship are possible.
At MindGarden, we prioritize felt safety through warm connection, gentle rhythm, and attuned adult presence. When children feel safe, they play—and play is where emotions are processed and maturity begins. As Dr. Gordon Neufeld teaches, emotional development isn’t taught—it unfolds naturally when the conditions are right.
The Meaning Behind Our Logo 🌿✨
Core Values 🌼
- Curiosity over Complacency – Questions bloom here.
- Attachment before Academics – Safety is the soil.
- Presence, not Perfection – We model humble, growth-minded learning.
- Nature as Teacher – Dirt under fingernails is a feature, not a mess.
- Celebration & Joy – Laughter and play invite ideas to stick.
What Parents Say 💬
“My daughter went from reluctant reader to eager storyteller in just two months. The relational approach is magic.”
— Alyssa R.